Alcohol and method of producing the same



Patented Apr. 1Q, 1929..

UNITED sTATEs 1,709,610 PATENT oF- icE.

JOAQUIN JULIO DE LA ROZA, SE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BAGASSE PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF. NEW YORK, N. Y. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ALCOHOL AND METHOD PRODUCING THE SAME.

No Drawing.

This invention. relates to alcohol and a" flames but, on standing, after the fire, there occurs, in the course of a very few days, a chemical inversion of the sucrose contents within the stalk, whereb there is formed dextrose, lvulose, etc. This is commonly known as turning or souring of the sugar cane',and takes place in from one or two to fouror five days, according to weather conditions.

Because of this, it is necessary that the stalks sho'uld be cut and treated in the sugar mill almost immediately after the fire, if the usual sugar product is to be obtained, because f the soured or turned sucrose juices cannot be treated to produce the crystallized sugar that is the usual product from sugar cane.

It is frequently impossible to cut the burned cane and have it used in the sugar mill within the few days period, so that vthe fact is that vast quantities of the burned cane are allowed to rot in the fields, or arev cut and either thrown away or used as an ineflicient fertilizer. This constitutes a great economic loss to the planters, frequently involving bankruptcy; and it also occasions a great economic loss, more broadly speaking, because a very abundant source of alcohol is thereby wasted. v I have found that the burned sugar cane, which has soured or turned, can easily be employed as a substantial and commercially advantageous source of alcohol, and my invention contemplates said product produced from the said material, and the-method of producing the same, both of which, I believe, have heretofore been unknown.

In carrying out my process, I allow the burned sugar cane to stand under ordinary atmospheric conditions until there has been a substantial inversion or fermentation of the sucrose and other fermentable sugars con- Application filed March 22, 1927. Serial No. 177,464.

'tained in the cane. This will generally amount to from twelve to twenty percent of the total weight of the sugar cane."

After this condition has been reached, the sugar cane is cut and is ground in a mill in a manner very similar to the grinding of cane for the purpose of producing sugar. I have found that, as a rule, the grinding of the burned cane in one set of three rollers will be sufiicient; and that it is desirable to arrange the spacing and pressure of the rollers so that no great crushing efi'ect is applied to the cane. This sufiiciently extracts the desired juices, While leaving the cellulose portion uninjured for treatment to obtain other products, as

pointed out for instance in my copending applications, Serial Nos. 97,452 and 97,453, filed March 25, 1926.

The juices thus extracted are in an initial stage offermentation, containing large quant-ities of bacteria capable of promoting further fermentation,- and shouldbe put through the steps of complete fermentation and dlstilling generally employed in the production of alcohol from molasses and similar materials, and well understood in this art; with the notable differencethat, in carrying out my invention, the amount of yeast or other fermenting agent required will be a minimum, or the same may be omitted entirely.

In the souring,'turning or fermentation of the burned cane, various acids are engendered, so that it is desirable, in handling the uices, to employ apparatus which is resistant to acid. This is not only forthe purpose of prolonging the useful life of the apparatus,

' but also for preventing metallic particles of the apparatus acted'upon by the acids from injuring 'theproduct. Unprotected iron apparatus or equipment would be particularly objectionable in this respect.

My invention takes note of the faot'that burned sugar cane is more acid than unburned sugar cane, so that the former more readily adapts itself to the process of manufacturing alcohol. In other words,-the condition which has rendered sugar cane unfit for the manufacture of the usual sugar product, and has caused it to be ractically discarded heretofore, is taken a vanta e of by my invention to promote the usefulness of the sugar cane as a source of alcohol production.

I have referred in the foregoing to the utilization of sugar cane which has been burned without the intent of the owner. thereof but, it Willbe understood that, if desired, a given amount of sugar cane could be purposely fired for the purpose of producing the burned cane that is the valuable material for the manufacture of alcohol in accordance with this invention.

I desire it to be understood that various changes may be resorted to in the steps followed, and apparatus employed, without departing from the-spirit and scope of my invention; and hence,I 'do not intend to be limited to-details except as they may be included in the claim.

What I claim is:

A method of producing alcohol which comprises, extracting the liquid content from burned green sugar cane Which has been submitted to ordinary atmospheric conditions existing in cane growing'localities until an inversion of sugar content has occurred, fermenting and distilling the. said extracted con-- tent.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoingl as my invention, I have signed my name this 21st day of March, 1927.

' JOAQUIN JULIO DE LA ROZA, s11 

